Two new Buddy Benches- gifts from The Joseph Middlemiss Big Heart Foundation- have arrived here at TES! What is a Buddy Bench? A young man named Christian at the Roundtown School in York, Pennsylvania first conceived this simple, yet brilliant, concept. Christian’s goal was to create a spot to eliminate loneliness and foster friendship on the playground. In an attempt to send a message of inclusion and kindness, he petitioned his principal to allocate a special bench as a meeting spot for children in need of a “buddy” or playmate. Administrators in Christian’s school embraced his idea and the first bench of its kind was erected at his school. Similar “Buddy Benches” now grace playgrounds across the country. The six-foot bench will be placed on the grades K-2 playground, and the eight-foot bench will be placed on the grades 3-5 playground. It is our foundation’s desire to bring two such benches to TES, one for grades k-2 and another for grades 3-5. A Buddy Bench aligns perfectly with the STRIPES principles highlighted in TES’s social emotional initiative. The key theory behind the conception of the “Buddy Bench” idea touches upon each value of STRIPES, but specifically highlights “I” for “Inclusion.” Tyngsborough Elementary School students will demonstrate INCLUSION. They have a responsibility to break down barriers by inviting new people into teams, circle of friends, and experiences as they work to be a unified, collaborative community. They will show acceptance and tolerance to everyone around them. The “Buddy Bench” will provide a concrete place for students to initiate inclusive behaviors while fostering friendships and reinforcing kindness. Over the next couple of weeks, the Buddy Benches will be housed in the cafeteria, as the staff and students will be meeting as grade levels to review the use of the benches during recess each day. Culminating discussions and lessons will take place during our Community Building Assemblies, which will be held on October 17th. Following the Community Building Assemblies, the Buddy Benches will be placed on the playgrounds and put to good use!
Posted on: Thu, 02 Oct 2014 20:11:59 +0000
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